Electric socket plug



F. E. GUEFFR OY ELECTRIC SOCKET PLUG Aug. 18, 1936.

Filed Aug. 19, 1935 FIL3 .1.

III III INVENTOR. .E: E- G UEFFEO YT Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in electric socket plugs for use in any standard electric socket.

The principal object of the invention is to produce a socket plug where it is practically impossible for the weight of the connector cord to pull the prongs of the cord plug from the socket.

A further object is to produce a socket plug which will efiectively engage the prongs of any cord plug without the necessity of bending the prongs, which often leads to the breaking of the cord plug.

A still further object is to produce a device wherein a good contact is made at all times, thus preventing arcing and consequent burning of the contacts.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

1Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved socket D Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one-half of my socket plug.

In the accompanying drawing, and referring particularly to Fig. 1, it will be noted that my 0 socket plug consists of two sections 5 and 6 preferably constructed out of Bakelite or some other similar insulating material. These sections are held together by screws 1 and 8 and a dowel 9. Within the parts 5 and 6 is housed a pair of hinged contact members H and [2. The member II is hinged as at iii to a metallic support M which is in turn electrically connected by a screw to the bottom contact 16 of the socket plug. The contact I2 is hinged as at ll to a metallic member [8 which is soldered or otherwise secured as at l9 to the screw shell 2|. The usual fibre disc 22 insulates the contact Hi from the rest of the structure.

Riveted to each of the contacts II and I2 is an auxiliary contact 22 and having a nose 23 extending through an opening in the contacts II and I2. The usual slots 24 are provided in the socket plug so that the prongs of a cord plug may be inserted therethrough. Springs 26 housed in the structure cause the free ends of the contacts H and I2 to move toward each other, and as the ends of the contacts are curved it is obvious that the insertion of the prongs of the cord plug 10 will first effect a contact between the contacts I I and I2 and further insertion will cause the prongs to pass beyond the noses 23, and as most prongs are formed with an opening therethrough, these noses will enter the openings and prevent the prongs from being accidentally withdrawn.

The principle of the mechanism as described, is also to apply to standard wall and base plugs.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a socket plug which conforms to all standard practices and yet is one wherein an efficient and reliable contact is sure to be made.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, 25

size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit 0! the invention or scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-- 3

In a socket plug arrangement, a pair of insulated sections secured one to the other, a pair of contact bars mounted in said insulated sections and hinged to supporting electrical connections, spring means for forcing said contacts toward each other, and auxiliary contacts secured to each of said contacts, said auxiliary contacts each having a nose projecting through their respective supporting contacts for engaging holes in the prongs of a cord plug.

FREDERICK E. GUEFFROY. 

